I guess the key question is “Why should I forage....?”

As I noted in previous posts; If you walked down the street,
and someone offered you a free voucher for a punnet of plums, a free bag of
salad, a plate of fresh sea food from the supermarket...would you accept
it?So, if you’re rambling down a
bridleway, strolling down a beach, walking through a park, and the same food is
there, infront of you, and all you have to do is bend down, or reach up and
pick it....why would you not?http://foragersnook.blogspot.com/2012/01/foraging-why-would-you-not-do-it.html

On a more “eco” view of your surroundings, we read every day
about food miles, carbon footprints, degradation of soil with mono-culture,
pollution of the waterways with nitrate run off. So just as turning your heating down a bit,
buying or growing organically, and walking instead of driving, you could
consider a spot of foraging as adding to “doing your bit”. Picking free,
unfertilised, un-transported food which if picked carefully will grow back
again, year after year with no additional input or cost to the environment.

You could also consider it a perfect excuse to get out of
your car, get into the countryside, get fit and active, and for doing so you
get the reward of a delicious basket full of fresh, seasonal, nutritious
produce. We’re actively walking the North Down’s Way this year to map out it’s
foraging potential for fellow ramblers and trampers. http://foragersnook.blogspot.com/2012/01/sunday-detling-to-boxley.html

Whilst I note there are a number of “professional foragers”
– the legalities on selling what you pick are more complex, and my thoughts and
blog are in no way dedicated to using foraging to actively save you money, nor
allow you to make any money either.
(although if you are eating once a week the things you’ve picked, have
made a jar of chutney, instead of having bought it, or started foraging more
actively for sea-food rather than buying it in season, you obviously may save a
few pennies, but consider that a bonus, rather than part of your retirement
plan) http://foragersnook.blogspot.com/2012/01/she-sells-sea-shells-on-sea-shore.html

We work full time, and treat weekend foraging as noted above;
it’s there, it’s delicious, if it isn’t picked it will most likely be trampled
on, or left to rot, and it’s often picked to be eaten right there as trail food
on our walks and rambles, or used to inspire us as to what seasonal delights we
will cook that night to make good use of the free bounty before us, with
hopefully the odd jar of chutney, jam, or pickle to keep, to remind us of the
passing seasons, and what to return to look for next year.